Brushmaking machine



July 20, 1943. I CARL'SON 2,324,480

BRUSH MAKING MACHINE Filed June 5, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENT OR.

I. Carlson-J BY 2 1 I ATTORNEY.

July 20,1943. CARLSON 2,324,480

BRUSH MAKING MACHINE Filed June 5, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INV ENT OR.

- (.ZMjQl/YQOW 41.17 TTORNEY.

Patented July 20, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Tool & Machine 00., Aurora, 'Ill., a, partnership composed of John I. Carlson and Clifford 1;).

Carlson Application June 5,1940, $erial No. 338,859

13 Claims. (0]. 1-2) The invention relates. generallyto brush making machines and has asa. general .objectto provide abrush making machine .of new and improved construction.

A primary object of the invention is. to proide a brush making machine in which they reciprocatory parts in particular are given aunique, light weight but sturdy construction rendering the machine capable of high speed operation.

More particularly, it is an object to provide a staple driving mechanism whichi's of light Weight yet sturdy construction.

Another object is to provide astaple driving mechanism in which the slides of the mechanism are connected in a unique manner making the same unusually rigid.

Still another object is toprovidea staple driving mechanism in which the cam for the jaws is also employed as guidingmeans therefor, eliminating'certain parts, andin which the, cam is mounted in a unique manner, assuring proper adjustment of the cam as a guide me'ans at all times. I

Other objects and advantages will becom apparent from the following description. taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich: l l 1 Fig. 1- is afront eleva-tional view of thetop portion of a brush making machine embodying the features of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken approximately along the line 2- -2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevational View of the driving mechanism only show'n'i-n Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional 54 Of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken approximately along the line 6''6 Of- Fig. 1".

Fig. 7 is afragmentary and enlarged, top plan 'view showing the clutch and clutch throw-out mechanism.

Fig. 8 isa sectional 9- 8 of Fig. 7.

Whilethe invention is here n shown aria will hereinafter bedescribed in a preferred embodiment, it is not intended that the invention is-to be limited thereby to the-specific construction disclosed, but on the contrary it is intended to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope'ofthe invention as defined by the appended claims;

The brush making -machine. shown particularly-in'l ig. l for purposes of disclosure-is et view taken along the line view taken alongfithe line :view taken along the line the general type of brushmaking machinewell known in the art- Typical of such a machine is that shown in the patent, to Fisher No. 1,512,588, dated October 21, 1924. Generally such a ma chine comprises a bed or base In from which rise two upright frame members II and i2 connected at their upper free ends by a cross member 13. Disposed above the bed H) are a plurality of tables orsupports'fl; l5 and [6. These tables are mounted upon and actuated by suitable mechanism,; herein designated ll, which is 0perable to move the tables both transversely and longitudinally o-f the machine in an intermittent step by step movement corresponding to the spacing of thetuiting of the brush, aswell as to tilt the tables to permit certain of thetufts tobe placed at an angle to obtain the desired-flareof the brush. r

The table I4 is adapted to carry a blank wooden block shaped to. form the brush back. Mounted on the cross member l3 above the table M for action on the brush back carried by thetable is a .drill head 18. This drill head isreciprocated .thereaboye for cooperation therewith is a tuit supplying mechanism 20 and a staple forming and driving mechanism'z A ispo ed abov the table 16; butnotshownain the drawings because forming'no :part of the invention, is a staple :wire feeding means and a cutting; .oii means.

These are of. conventional constructionwith the. .;latter including anti-ls functioning inthe staple butting and shaping operations. Like the drill head I18, the mechanisms 2Land 2i and the Wire .feeding and cutting off imeans" are intermittently operated in order intermittently :to 1. secure tufts in holes of the :brush'iback at the same time that corresponding holesisare being drilledin a blank Jbrush back carried .on thertable, l4. r

1 The thiidtable. l5 .i's;adapted to carry a: template 15f having holestherein correspondinguto "the desired pattern thatvthebrush is to have. Cooperating with this template-is hole finder 22 which is also mountedon the cross member .113. and reciprocated in'tim'ed relation with the reciprocation of. the drill head! andfstaple driv- "ingmechanism to assure .thatllthe tables 14,15 -aridnl6, which-are .all interconnected, are' accuratelyipositioned. i

Inasmuch ascthe various cams, eccentrics and like mechanism, for imparting to the table actuating and supporting mechanism I1, the drill head, the tuft supplying and staple driving mechanisms and 2|, and the hole finder 22 their intermittent and interrelated and timed movements, are of more or less conventional construction and form no part of this invention, the same have not been disclosed herein. For a more complete description and understanding of these basic constructions and operations, reference is made to the Fisher Patent No. 1,512,588. Suffice it to say, therefore, that the various mechanisms are driven preferably from an electric motor 23 through such cams and like mechanism mounted on a main cam shaft 24 (see Fig. '1), .coupled' through the medium of a clutch 25 with a drive shaft 26, and also usually mounted on an auxiliary shaft (not shown) which is driven at a" low R. P. M.

It is a feature of this invention to provide a staple driving mechanism having many enhanced and improved qualities. The staple driving mech.

anism 2 I, as best seen in Figs. 2 to 5, comprises an upper or driving slide 39 and a lower or driven slide 3|, which are reciprocable in a vertically disposed guideway 32 formed in a plate 33 mounted on the cross member I3 and disposed in a plane transversely of the brush making machine. The upper or driving slide is directly actuated from means on the shaft 24 through the medium of a lever 34 which is pivoted intermediate its ends on a stud 35 projecting from the plate 33 at its uppermost portion. One end of the lever 34 engages, as stated, means (not shown) on the shaft 24, while the other end has pivotally connected thereto a link 36 in turn pivotally connected at its remaining end to a -stud 31 fixed on the slide 30, The slide 30 is, through the lever 34, given a'reciprocatory motion being driven through one complete cycle with each revolution of the shaft 24. a

A driving connection between the upper slide 30 and the lower slide 3| is-formed through the medium of a bell crank 40 which is pivoted at 4| on a bracket 4-2 projecting laterally from the lower portion of the upper slide 30. One arm 43 of the bell crank 49 carries a follower 44 which engages in a cam groove 45 formed in the plate 33. Throughout its major length the cam groove 45 extends parallel with the guideways 32, but at its lower end has a portion 45' which diverges slightly from the vertical and from the guideways 32. The other arm 46 of the bell crank carries a stud 41 and'is connected by a link, generally designated 48, to the lower slide 3|. The link 48 is composed of a cross head 49 pivoted on the stud 41, a cross head 50 pivoted on.

a stud 5|, and a pair of bolts 52 depending from the cross head 49 and adjustably secured to the cross head 50 through the medium of nuts .53. The stud 5| has a U-shaped base54 and is secured to the upper end of the slide 3| by bolts 54' (see Fig, 4). It is believed apparentfrom the foregoing that during downward movement the slides 30 and 3| will move in unison so long as follower 44 of crank 4|] is in the main, parallel portion of cam groove 45 for there will be no angular movement of crank 45. As slide 30 carries crank 40 down to-the point where follower 44 enters portion 45' of the cam groove, however,

the crank 40 will be rocked clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 2, and thus cause the slide 3| .to move this relative movement will presently become more apparent.

To enhance the rigidity of the staple driving mechanism, and particularly to strengthen the same better to withstand the strain resulting from the reaction of the bell crank 40 and to preventbinding in the guideways 32, normally resulting from such lateral strain, the upper and lower slides are interconnected in a unique manner. Each of the slides has formed in its bottom, inner or underneath face or side a longitudinally extending channel 56 and 51, respectively. 'Additionally formed in the lower slide is an elongated slot 58 extending longitudinally of the slide throughout the major portion of its length. The channels 55 and 51, as best seen in Fig. 5, are made wide and shallow with their width parallel with'th'e plane of the slides so as to receive the ends of an interconnecting member 59 which isv of a rigid flat stock bar. The member'59 is received in the channels 56 and 51 with a slidable but snugfit, and it will be seen that, with the width of the member 59 disposed in the plane of the slides 30 and 3| and snugly received in thechannels 56 and 51, it is extremely effective, though comparatively light, in maintaining the slides in true alinement and against twisting which would result in their binding in the ways 32.

The interconnecting member 59 is rigidly but adjustably secured to the upper slide 30. To that end the slid 3|], has formed therein a pair of slightlyelongated apertures, 60, through which bolts 6| extend into threaded engagement with the interconnecting 'member 59. The engagement of the member 59 with the lower slide is a sliding engagement and the lower end of the member 59, moreover, forms a support for a staple driver 62 and a cam 63. To thatend there is carried on the interconnecting member 59 an elongatedblock 65 which is adapted to .be slid- 'is'placed the elongated cam 63. The cam, the

driver 62, and the block 65 are rigidly secured to the member 59 by a pairof bolts 66 which extend through suitable apertures formed in the,

cam, the driver and the block, and are threaded into the member 59. -As: best seen in Fig. 4, the apertures 61 formed in the cam 63 are preferably slightly elongated so that the cam mayhave a limited longitudinal adjustment.

Mounted on and extending generally parallel with the slide 3| are a pair of jaws 68-Which serve in the downward :movementof the slide 3| to shape into a staple'a previously cut length of wire and'to formaf guide forthe staple as it is driven into the brush back. To that end' the 'aws'68 are pivoted intermediate their ends on pins 69 at the lowermost portion ofthe slide 3| so that. the lower half of the jaws extendibeyond the slide while the; upper halves overlie and are guided by the slide 3L At its upper 'end, each law 68 carries a cam follower-10 engaging the' cam 53, these; followers beingheld in engagement .withthe Qcam by means of a tension spring -1| attached at its;endstoprojecting ends of the studs 12 ,onwhich the followers 10 are rotatably o nt d At i sl we .end eachiaw h o m d i th inner ed e .gr pve, 5 (see Fig; 4) be from the bracket '35.

ter to receive and guide a staple. In order to eliminate guide screws, which normally bear against the outer faces of the jaws 68 at their upper ends to serve in retaining. the jaws in proper position, the cam 63 herein is made of sufficient width to overlap th jaws in all positions thereof. To assure that the cam will atall times be properly spaced from'the slide 31 so as not tobind the jaws 68, the block '85 is made just slightly thicker than th'e thickness of the slide 3! at the slot 58, while the jaws are equalin thickness to the upper portion of the driver 62. With the block of such thickness and the driver 62 and the jaws 68 of equalthickness, it will be apparent that the cam 83 will be properly spaced simply by tightening the bolts 66.

Cam t3 has at its upper end a wide portion (53 (see Fig. 3) and intermediate its ends a narrower portion 63". Thecam is so positioned that t the followers ride on the narrower portion 63" throughout the time that the follower "44 is in the main, parallel portion of the cam groove 45. Inasmuch, however, as the cam 63 is rigid with the slide 30 rather than the slide 3|, the followers Til will move up onto the wide portion 63 as the slides are given their relative movement. This causes the jaws 68 to converge at their lower ends to impart an inward set to the legs of the staple. This relative movement of the slides, of

course, also eifects relative movement between the driver 62 and the jaws 88, causing the driver to drive the staple out of the jaws.

It is believed apparent from the foregoing that, due to the unique construction of the stapling mechanism just disclosed, an extremely rigid slide mechanism is provided which is unusually effective in preventing lateral twisting of the slides and thus in eliminating binding of the slides in the guideways 32. At the same time, a greatly shortened driver 62 is employed and the possibility that the mechanism will be improperly adjusted and cause binding of the jaws is eliminated, In spite of the increased rigidity, the weight of the mechanism has been reduced, making possible increased productiveness of the machine because of a higher permissible rate of reciprocation. i

" The hole finder 22, previously mentioned end the lever ill to prevent injury to the machine should the tip 19 fail to enter a hole in the template. To that end, the collar 85 is mounted for limited movement longitudinally of the rod T8. Such limited movement is effected by forming the rod 18 with diametrically opposite slots 88 extending longitudinally of the rod through which a pin 89 of the collar 85 projects. Within the rod 18 is a compression spring Bil bearing at one end against the pin 89 and at the other end against a pin '91. Preferably the rod '18 is provided with oil 'holes 92 through which lubricant may be supplied to the bearings 15 and 11 by filling the rod '78 with lubricant.

In brush making machines of the type disclosed, the machine is usually started and stopped through the medium ofthe clutch 25 and, moreover, the machine is started and stopped with each brush. Inasmuch as in certain machines the shaft 24 may be driven as high as 360 R. P. M., there is quite a shock when the clutch is engaged; While it is possible to make the clutch of such construction as to withstand this shock, much difficulty has been experienced in the past in providing a clutch throw-out or en'- gagement mechanism capable of withstanding the shock. The provision of an improved clutch engagement and throw-out mechanism in which there is no shock to the mechanism is now the feature of my divisional and copending applica tion Serial No. 379,808, filed February 20, 1941,

' and is claimed in that application. Suffice it to briefly, is more fully disclosed and claimed in is adjustably secured to permit compensation for high or low settings of the table l5. Thepin is driven from a cam 80 fixed on the shaft 24 through a lever 8i pivotally mountedintenmediate its ends on a bracket 82 secured on the top of the cross member !3., At one end the lever 8| carries a, cam follower 83,, while at its other end it is bifurcated and carries pins 84 (see Fig. l) which engage with a collar 85 on the rod 18. The cam follower 83 is retained in contact with the cam 88 by means of a tension spring 86 connected at one end to "the lever .8l intermediate the pivot point and the follower 83, and at the other end to a bracket 81 projecting laterally While the lever 81, earn 8!], and spring 86' are so arranged that the lever Bl is positively driven during the down stroke of the rod 18 and spring returned; a 'yieldable driving connection is interposed between the rod 18 say, therefore, that the clutch is of the jaw type having one element fldfixed on the drive shaft 26 and a complementary element 95 splined on the shaft 24. The latter element 96 is normally and constantly urged toward engagement with theelement 95 by a spring 91. Formed in the clutch element 96 is a peripheral cam groove '98 with one side wall 98" which is straight, While the opposite side wall has "a straight and parallel portion 99 extend'i'ng over approximately 180", a portion 99' extending over approximately which is disposed at an angle to the plane of the straight portions of the side walls and flares outwardly, and a complementary angle portion 99".

Adapted to cooperate with the cam groove 98 inithe element 96 is a pin 100 which is slidably supported in a bore Ifll formed in a bracket Hi2 bolted to the cross member I3. The pin 108 has two positions, namely, awithdrawn position in which it is out of engagement with the element 96, and a projected position, shown in Figs. '7 and 8, in which it engages in the cam groove 98, The pin Hill is so positioned longitudinally of the shaft 24 that when it is in engagement with the narrow portion of the cam groove 98 the clutch will be disengaged. It' is understood, of course, that the clutch is rotated: in av clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 8, so that when the pin I08 is first shifted to its extended position it will engage the inclined portion 99' of the cam groove so that the element 96 will be gradually disengaged as the inclined portion 99' travels past the pin Hi8. Inasmuch as the angle of the inclined portion 99 with respect to the transverse plane through the cam groove is small, disengagement of the clutch isefiected with little shock to the pin IEO. The clutch element 96,. being the driven element, will uponbeing disengaged from the element come to rest while the pin I00 is in the narrow portion of the cam groove and thus will be retained I04 to a bracket I05 and at its inner end engages a groove I06 formed on the end of the pin I00 for that purpose. The lever I03 is normally urged in a direction to cause extension of the pin I00 by a tension spring I01 connected at one end to the lever I03 and at the other end to the bracket I02. To retain the pin in its withdrawn position, the same is formed with a groove I08 adapted to be engaged by a locking plunger I09 formed on the end of a rod IIO which, as best seen in Fig. 1, extends downwardly to a point adjacent the mechanism II for actuation when a brush is completed. Normally, the pin I00 is withdrawn through manual operation of the lever I03 by the operator of the machine When it is desired to initiate operation of the machine, the pin being retained in its withdrawn position, as above stated, by the locking plunger I09. Upon completion of the brush, the plunger I09 is automatically withdrawn to permit the pin I 00 to be moved to its projected position under the influence of the spring I01 so that the clutch will immediately be disengaged and the machine stopped. Preferably, the pin I00 is formed with a slightly reduced portion I II intermediate the groove I08 and the body of the pin, in order that any burs that may be struck up as aresult of the action of the locking plunger I09 on the pin will not become wedged between the pin and the bore IOI.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a staple driving mechanism for a brush making machine, a first slide, a second independently supported slide having a wide, shallow channel extending longitudinally thereof, jaws pivotally mounted on said second slide for forming and holding a staple, and a rigid stiffening member interconnecting said slides rigid with said first slide and slidably and guidingly engaging in the channel in said second slide.

2. In a staple driving mechanism for a brush making machine, a first slide, a second independently supported slide, jaws pivotally mounted on said second slide for forming and holding a staple, a rigid stiffening member interconnecting said slides rigid with said first slide and slidably and guidingly engaging said second slide, and a staple driver carried by said interconnecting member.

3. In a staple driving mechanism for a brush J making machine, a first slide, a second slide, jaws pivotally mounted on said second slide, a- ,cam follower carried by each of said jaws, amember interconnecting said slides rigidly secured to said first slide and slidably engaging said second slide, and a staple driver and a cam mounted on said interconnecting member.

4. In a staple driving mechanism for a brush making machine, a first slide, a second independently supported, generally fiat slide having a.

longitudinally extending channel formed in the underneath side thereof, and a rigid stiffening member interconnecting saidslides rigid at one end with said first slide and having its other end received in the channel in said second slide and having a slidable but close engagement therewith to guide and stiffen the parts.

5. In a staple driving mechanism for a brush making machine, a first slide having a'longitudinally extending channel formed in the underneath side thereof, a second slide having a a longitudinally extending channel formed in the underneath side thereof and a longitudinally extending slot formed therein, a member interconnecting said slides having one end received awss in the channel in said first slide and rigidly secured thereto and having its other'end slidably received inth'e channel in said second slide, a block carried by said member and'slidably received in the slot in 'said second slide, and a staple driver mounted o'nfsaid block to be carried by said interconnecting member.

6. In a staple driving mechanism for a brush making machine, a first slide, a, second slide having a longitudinally extending channel formed in the underneath side thereof, a pair of jaws pivotally mounted on said second slide with a portion thereof overlying said slide, an extension of said first slide having its free end slidably received in the channel in said second slide, an elongated slot extending longitudinally of said second slide, a block mounted on said extension and slidably received in said slot, a driver mounted on said block and disposed between said jaws, and a cam for actuating said jaws mounted on said driver and with said driver and block secured to said extension.

7. In a staple driving mechanism for a brush making machine, a first slide, a second slide having a longitudinally. extending channel formed in the underneath side thereof, a pair of jaws pivotally mounted on said second slide with a portion thereof overlying said slide, an extension of said first slide having its free end slidably received in the channel in said second slide, an elongated slot extending longitudinally of said second slide, a block mounted on said extension and slidably received in said slot, a driver mounted on said block and disposed between said jaws, and a cam for actuating said jaws mounted on said driver and with said driver and block secured to said extension and said cam overlying portions of said jaws to form with said second slide guide means for said jaws.

8. In a staple driving-mechanism for a brush making machine, a first slide, a second slide having a' longitudinally extending channel formed in the underneath side thereof, a' pair of jaws pivotally mountedv on said second slide with a portion thereof overlying said slide, an extension of said first slide having its free end slidably received in the channel in said second;

slide, an elongated slot extending longitudinally of said second slide, a blockmounted on said extension and slidably received in said slot, said block having a thickness just slightly, greater than the thickness of said second slide'at-the slot therein, a driver mounted on said-block and disposed between said jaws, and a cam for actuating said jaws mounted on said driver and with said driver and block secured to said extension and said cam overlying portions of said jaws to form with said second slide guide means for said jaws. V V

9. In a'staple driving mechanismfor a brush making machine, a first slide. having a longitudinally extending channel formed in the underneath side thereof, a second slide having a longitudinally extending channel formed in the underneath side thereof, said channels being wide and shallow, a flat stock'bar having its opposite ends received slidably but snugly in the channels of said slides, means for rigidlybut adjustably securing said bar to said first slide, an elongated longitudinally extending slot in said second slide, a block mounted on said bar and slidably received in the slot in said second slide, .aiStaple driver mounted on' said block, a cam mounted on'said stapledriver, and means for securing said cam, driver and block to said bar, said cam being adjustably secured.

10. In a staple driving mechanism for a brush making machine, a first slide, a second, inde pendently supported, generally fiat slide having a longitudinally extending channel formed in the underneath side thereof, said channel being comparatively wide and shallow and lying in a plane parallel with the plane of said slide, and a rigid, fiat stock member interconnecting said slides rigid at one end with said first slide and having its other end received in the channel in said second slide in a slidable but close engagement therewith to stiifen the mechanism against twist ing in the plane of the slides.

11. In a staple driving mechanism for abrusl' making machine, means having a guideway formed therein, a first slide supported in said guideway for reciprocatory movement, a second slide also supported in said guideway and inde pendently of said first slide, said second slide having a wide, shallow channel extending longi+ tudinally thereof, jaws pivotally mounted on said second slide for forming and holding a staple, and a rigid stiffening member interconnecting said slides rigid with said first slide and slidably and guidingly engaging in the channel in said second slide to hold said slides against binding of jaws pivotally mounted on said second slide with a portion thereof overlying said slide, an

longitudinally extending channel formed in the-underneath side thereof, a. pair extension of said first slide having its free end slidably received in the channel in said second slide, an elongated slot extending longitudinally of said second slide, means on said extension slidably projecting into said slot, a driver mounted on said means and disposed between said jaws, and a cam for actuating said jaws mounted on said means and with said driver secured to said extension.

13. In a staple driving mechanism for a brush making machine, means providing a guideway and a cam groove having a main portion parallel with the guideway and a portion diverging from the guideway, a first slide reciprocable in said guideway and having a lateral extension, a second slide reciprocable in said guideway, a crank pivotally mounted on said glateral projection and having a cam follower engaged in said cam groove, a link connection between said crank and said second slide enabling said second slide through said crank to be reciprocated simultaneously with or relative to said first slide, jaws pivotally mounted on said second slide for forming and holding a staple, a rigid, fiat stock member rigid at one end with said first slide and slidably and guidingly engaging said second slide to stiiIen the mechanism and prevent binding of the slides in the guideway, a cam disposed between said jaws andcontrolling the pivoting thereof, and a staple driver, said cam and driver being mounted on said interconnecting member to have a movement relative to said second slide.

JOHN I. CARLSON. 

